The Personalness of Christ's Atonement

I was reading in the Book of Mormon last night in 3 Nephi 16, which is part of Christ's teachings to the people here in the Americas after His resurrection. It's a powerful portion of scripture. What I realized as I was reading this chapter was that Christ was telling the people that He had to leave to go visit others of the House of Israel. Chapter 16 is basically a farewell chapter. The incredible thing is that after telling the people "I have to go, but I'll be back," the scriptures say, "And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them." So moved was the Savior by the pleading of these people that He asked them to bring forth their sick, their lame, their halt, their deaf -- anyone who was infirmed in anyone -- and He promised to heal them.

As I read through this part of scripture, I think I began to understand just how personal the love of our Savior is. The record says, "And he did heal them, every one." One by one, He took them, blessed them, healed them. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is personal. It heals us one at a time. We go to Christ, like the people in the Book of Mormon, wanting, longing for Him to heal us from the infirmities of this world -- from sin -- and He promises to heal us.

One of the greatest messages from the Book of Mormon is that Christ cares for the individual. Later in Chapter 17, Christ blesses all the children one by one. The Atonement is personal, just like our Father, just like our Savior. The Atonement was for the individual, and because it was, we never, ever have to feel alone.